Chapter 7

[Back to contents] [98] Bukhaari , Muslim & Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/110/2). It is given in Irwaa' (no. 8) [99] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed. [100] It is thus in most of the narrations; in some, it is wa ana min al-muslimeen ("I am one of the Muslims"). It is likely that this is because of the mistake of one of the narrators, and other evidence points to that, so the worshipper should say: wa ana min al-muslimeen ("I am the first of the Muslims"). There is nothing wrong with that, contrary to what some people say under the impression that this means "I am the first person who has this quality, while the rest of the people do not." But it is not so; this phrase actually represents competing to fulfil orders - similar to this is "Say: if the Merciful God has a son, then I am the first of the worshippers" (Zukhruf 43:81) and the saying of Moosa (`alaihis salam), "and I am the first of the believers." (A`raaf 7:143) [101] Azhari said: i.e. `I do not worship anything other than You.' [102] labbaik: I am firmly & continually present in Your obedience; sa`daik: extremely happy under Your order and devoutly following the deen which You have chosen. [103] i.e. Evil cannot be traced back to Allaah because there is nothing bad in His actions, for they are all good, ranging from justice to grace to wisdom, all of which are good with no bad in them. But evil is evil because it cannot be traced back to Allaah. Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: "He is the Creator of good and evil, but the evil exists in some of His creatures, not in His act of creating nor in His actions. Hence the Exalted is cleared of any zulm, which is fundamentally to put something in other than its proper place. He does not put anything except in its suitable place, so that is all good. But evil is to put something in other than its proper place: when it is put in its proper place it is not evil, so be sure that evil is not from Him. ...But if it is said: Why did He create something which is evil? I would say: He did the creating, and His action is good not evil, for creation and action is with Allaah, and it is impossible for evil to be with, or attributed to, Allaah. Anything evil in the created cannot be traced back to Allaah, but His actions and His creation can be attributed to Him, so they are good." The rest of this important discussion as well as its conclusion is to be found in his book Shifaa' al-`Aleel fi Masaa'il al-Qadaa' wal-Qadr wat-Ta`leel (pp. 178-206). [104] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Abu Daawood, Nasaa'i Ibn Hibbaan, Ahmad, Shaafi'i & Tabaraani; those who specify it to optional prayers are mistaken. [105] Nasaa'i with a sahih isnaad. [106] Nasaa'i & Daaraqutni with a sahih isnaad. [107] i.e I glorify You, meaning I consider You totally free from any deficiency. [108] i.e. we are submerged in Your praise. [109] i.e. the blessings of Your Name are great, for great good springs from the remembrance of Your Name. [110] i.e. Your Glory and Might. [111] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed. `Uqaili said (p. 103): "this has been narrated via several routes with good isnaads." It is given in 'Irwaa (no. 341) Transmitted by Ibn Mandah in At-tawhid (123/2) with a sahih isnaad & Nasaa'i in al-Yawm wal-Laylah as mawquf and marfoo`, as in Jaami` al-Masaaneed of Ibn Katheer (vol. 3 part 2 p. 235/2) [112] Abu Daawood & Tahaawi with a hasan isnaad.

[113] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah; declared sahih by Tirmidhi. Abu Nu`aim also narrated it in Akhbaar Isbahaan (1/210) from Jubair ibn Mut`am who heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) saying it in voluntary prayer. [114] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. [115] i.e. You are the Giver of Light to them, and those in them are guided by You. [116] i.e. the Protector and the constant Watcher over them. [117] haqq: truth, reality. [118] Bukhaari , Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Abu Daawood, Ibn Nasr & Daarimi. [119] Although that clearly does not rule out using them in the obligatory prayers also, except for the imaam, so that he does not prolong the prayer for the followers. [120] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. [121] Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/119/2), Abu Daawood & Tabaraani in Mu`jam al-Awsat (62/2) with one isnaad sahih, and another hasan. [122] Tayaalisi & Abu Daawood with a sahih isnaad.